Integrated retractor-distractor system for use with modular bone screws

Abstract

A retractor-distractor system comprising a frame with slidably coupled superior and inferior arms extending therefrom. The superior arm comprises a superior clamp arm pivotally coupled to a lateral end of the superior arm, a superior ball joint received between the superior clamp arm and the superior arm, and a superior ball joint lock operable to pivot the superior clamp arm proximate to the superior arm, thereby locking the orientation of the superior ball joint. The inferior arm comprises an inferior clamp arm pivotally coupled to a lateral end of the inferior arm, an inferior ball joint received between the inferior clamp arm and the inferior arm, and an inferior ball joint lock operable to pivot the inferior clamp arm proximate to the inferior arm, thereby locking the orientation of the inferior ball joint. The superior and inferior arms are operable to receive a modular blade to retract and distract tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A modular blade operable to be used in a retractor-distractor system, the blade comprising:
 a distal end and a proximal end; 
 a ball joint connecting shaft proximate to the proximal end, wherein the ball joint connecting shaft is operable to connect to a ball joint providing at least two degrees of rotational freedom to the modular blade; 
 a retractor skin extending from the ball joint connecting shaft to the distal end; and a clamping mechanism proximate to the distal end comprising left and right clamping arms operable to pivot around and releasably attach to a modular bone screw; 
 wherein the modular blade is operable to be removably attached to a frame in the retractor-distractor system; and 
 wherein the retractor skin is operable to retract and distract tissue. 
 
     
     
       2. The modular blade of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a left pivot pin aperture and a left locking rod aperture disposed within the left clamping arm; 
 a right pivot pin aperture and a right locking rod aperture disposed within the right clamping arm, wherein the left and right locking rod apertures are coaxial; 
 a shoe base located at the distal end of the blade and comprising an opening for receiving the modular bone screw; 
 a shoulder extending from a distal end of the ball joint connecting shaft to a proximal end of the retractor skin, the shoulder comprising left and right pivot pin apertures and a locking rod aperture; 
 left and right pivoting pins extending from the shoulder to the shoe base, wherein the left pivoting pin is received through the left pivot pin apertures of the shoulder and the left clamping arm, and the right pivoting pin is received through the right pivot pin apertures of the shoulder and the right clamping arm; and 
 a locking rod extending along the retractor skin to the distal end and received through the left locking rod aperture of the left clamping arm, the right locking rod aperture of the right clamping arm, and the locking rod aperture of the shoulder; 
 wherein the left and right clamping arms are operable to pivot about the left and right pivoting pins between an open position and a closed position. 
 
     
     
       3. The modular blade of  claim 2 , wherein the locking rod further comprises an internal locking rod received within an internal aperture of an external locking rod, the external locking rod comprising a first diameter and the internal locking rod comprising a second, smaller diameter, and the left locking rod aperture of the left clamping arm, the right locking rod aperture of the right clamping arm, and the locking rod aperture of the shoulder each comprising a locking rod aperture diameter, wherein the external locking rod is operable to translate distally or proximally about the internal locking rod, and wherein when the external locking rod is translated proximally about the internal locking rod, the external locking rod is removed from the left locking rod aperture of the left clamping arm and the right locking rod aperture of the right clamping arm, thereby allowing the left and right clamping arms to pivot between the open position and the closed position. 
     
     
       4. The modular blade of  claim 3 , wherein when the external locking rod is translated distally about the internal locking rod, the external locking rod is received within the left locking rod aperture of the left locking rod aperture and the right locking rod aperture of the right clamping arm, thereby locking the left and right clamping arms in the closed position. 
     
     
       5. The modular blade of  claim 4 , wherein the external locking rod self-centers the left and right clamping arms in the closed position when the external locking rod is received within the left locking rod aperture of the left clamping arm and the right locking rod aperture of the right clamping arm. 
     
     
       6. The modular blade of  claim 5 , wherein the modular bone screw is operable to rotate and pivot when the left and right clamping arms are in either the open position or the closed position. 
     
     
       7. The modular blade of  claim 2 , wherein pivoting pins of the clamping mechanism are received within apertures of a clamping mechanism encasement. 
     
     
       8. The modular blade of  claim 1 , wherein the retractor skin curves outwardly from a shoulder extending from a distal end of the ball joint connecting shaft. 
     
     
       9. The modular blade of  claim 8 , wherein the retractor skin is offset from the ball joint connecting shaft by the shoulder. 
     
     
       10. The modular blade of  claim 1 , wherein the modular blade may translate distally or proximally and may rotate in three degrees of rotational freedom when the modular blade is removably attached to the frame. 
     
     
       11. The modular blade of  claim 10 , wherein the modular blade may be received through an incision and pivoted outwardly to retract and distract more tissue below the incision than at the incision. 
     
     
       12. A modular blade operable to be used in a retractor-distractor system, the blade comprising:
 a distal end and a proximal end; 
 a ball joint connecting shaft proximate to the proximal end; 
 a retractor skin extending from the ball joint connecting shaft to the distal end; 
 a clamping mechanism proximate to the distal end operable to releasably attach to a modular bone screw; 
 wherein the modular blade is operable to be removably attached to a frame in the retractor-distractor system; 
 wherein the retractor skin is operable to retract and distract tissue; 
 left and right clamping arms, the left clamping arm comprising a left pivot pin aperture and a left locking rod aperture, and the right clamping arm comprising a right pivot pin aperture and a right locking rod aperture, wherein the left and right locking rod apertures are coaxial; 
 a shoe base located at the distal end and comprising an opening for receiving the modular bone screw; 
 a shoulder extending from a distal end of the ball joint connecting shaft to a proximal end of the retractor skin; 
 left and right pivot pins extending from the shoulder to the shoe base such that the left pivot pin is received through the left pivot pin aperture and the right pivot pin is received through the right pivot pin aperture; and 
 a locking rod extending along the retractor skin to the distal end and received through the left and right locking rod apertures; 
 wherein the left and right clamping arms are operable to pivot about the left and right pivot pins between an open position and a closed position. 
 
     
     
       13. The modular blade of  claim 12 , wherein the locking rod further comprises an internal locking rod received within an internal aperture of an external locking rod, the external locking rod comprising a first diameter and the internal locking rod comprising a second, smaller diameter, and the left and right locking rod apertures each comprising a locking rod aperture diameter, wherein the external locking rod is operable to translate distally or proximally about the internal locking rod, and wherein when the external locking rod is translated proximally about the internal locking rod, the external locking rod is removed from the left and right locking rod apertures, thereby allowing the left and right clamping arms to pivot between the open position and the closed position. 
     
     
       14. The modular blade of  claim 13 , wherein when the external locking rod is translated distally about the internal locking rod, the external locking rod is received within the left and right locking rod apertures, thereby locking the left and right clamping arms in the closed position. 
     
     
       15. The modular blade of  claim 14 , wherein the external locking rod self-centers the left and right clamping arms in the closed position when the external locking rod is received within the left and right locking rod apertures of the left and right clamping arms. 
     
     
       16. The modular blade of  claim 15 , wherein the modular screw is operable to rotate and pivot when the left and right clamping arms are in either the open position or the closed position. 
     
     
       17. The modular blade of  claim 12 , wherein pivoting pins of the clamping mechanism are received within apertures of a clamping mechanism encasement. 
     
     
       18. The modular blade of  claim 12 , wherein the retractor skin curves outwardly from the shoulder. 
     
     
       19. The modular blade of  claim 18 , wherein the retractor skin is offset from the ball joint connecting shaft by the shoulder. 
     
     
       20. The modular blade of  claim 12 , wherein the modular blade may translate distally or proximally and may rotate in three degrees of rotational freedom when the modular blade is removably attached to the frame. 
     
     
       21. The modular blade of  claim 20 , wherein the modular blade may be received through an incision and pivoted outwardly to retract and distract more tissue below the incision than at the incision.